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Roller coaster. She’d twice ridden on one and hated every clanking second, from the climb with the people down below shrinking into miniatures to the plunge, when she was sure the thing would fly off the rails. The only good part was getting off. Remember?
Then she’d picture him standing alone in the parking lot, his very stillness making him look desolate. Her heart cramped.
She could love him. Until Tony, she’d never met a man she could.
Up, down, all around.
Beth made it through another day of work, this one especially challenging because Barbara had called in sick. Her heart had been fluttering, she said. Later she called to tell them that her doctor had asked a cardiologist to see her as soon as possible, which probably wouldn’t be until next week. She was glad today was Friday, sure that by Monday she’d feel fine.
One more person to worry about.
But it was Friday, so Beth, too, had a couple days to recuperate.
She did stop for much-needed groceries. At home, as she unloaded them from the trunk, she spotted the young guy from two doors down who’d raced to her rescue. When she waved, he came over to ask how she was, giving her the chance to thank him again.
Inside, even before she put away the groceries, she walked through the house, as she’d done every day since Tony had left, peeking in closets and anyplace else a person could hide. Silly, but at least when she was done she could be absolutely positive she was alone.
She made a giant potato salad, enough to give her lunches and maybe dinners, too, for several days. Tonight, a heaping serving was all she wanted.
She wasn’t even tempted to watch TV because then she might not hear the tinkle of breaking glass or a soft footstep. Instead, Beth tried to concentrate on the book she was reading, but without success. Finally, she let it fall to her lap.
Aloud, she said into the silence, “Keith Reistad.” What did she remember about him?
She’d had to call him Mr. Reistad because it was polite, but Mom had always said Keith. And she did talk about him a lot. Too much, maybe. Yes, he was one of the partners, and she worked directly under him, but she must have spent most of her hours at the office with clients or on her computer. She should have gone days at a time without seeing him.
Had there been a spark of excitement in her mother’s voice or expression when she talked about him?
Mostly what Beth saw was Dad’s face, not so much vague as blank. He’d built a wall—
Her phone rang, making her jump. Emily, at last.
“Emily?”
“Hi.” Her sister sounded almost shy. “Are you still mad at me?”
Beth sighed. “I wasn’t mad, I was worried about you.”
“I, um, made an appointment today. With the woman counselor. I can’t talk to a man. So I hope you’re happy.”
Hearing the return of a whine, Beth shook her head but only said, “I am.”
“I was wondering, well, if you’d come over. So we could talk. You know.”
Don’t wanna. But how could she not, when Emily had asked nicely? Except—“Detective Navarro asked me not to go anywhere after dark. Can you come here instead?”
“But what if that guy thinks I’m you? No, that doesn’t make sense. I mean, even in the dark anyone could tell the difference between us, couldn’t he?”
Because I’m a hippo compared to your dainty self. “Gee, thanks.”
“I don’t mean that in a bad way. You’re too sensitive.”
Maybe she was.
Hesitant, Emily asked, “Is it really okay if I come?”
“Yes, you can still come. If you’re hungry, I made potato salad.”
“I love your potato salad. See you as fast as I can get there.”
It would be good to have company. Maybe she could even talk Emily into spending the night. The sofa pulled out into a bed.
Relaxing, she put on a pot of coffee and went back to thinking about Keith Reistad. He had a quirky, nice face, she remembered that. Mom was the one to insist her kids stay in the waiting room. It wasn’t like he’d made a rule or anything. He’d sometimes been nice enough to sit down and talk for a minute. Of course, she’d been tongue-tied, but Emily would chatter away to him. Once he’d whipped a deck of cards out of his pocket and amazed them with some tricks. Mom had watched, too, smiling. Then there was the time Mom had gone to her office and he had come in the front door, looking surprised to see Beth. Emily hadn’t been with her. Beth’s momentary puzzlement cleared. Because elementary school didn’t get out as early as middle school, of course.
